LeBron James has long defied the passage of time in the NBA, continuing to dominate well into his late 30s and now approaching 40. Yet, as the Los Angeles Lakers hit the 22-game mark in the 2024-25 season, concerns about his performance are beginning to surface. His former teammate Kendrick Perkins has publicly questioned whether Father Time has finally caught up with “The King.”
The remarks came in the wake of a disappointing Lakers performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where James had one of his least effective outings of the season. After the 80-109 blowout loss, Perkins took to X with an analogy that grabbed attention, comparing LeBron James’ recent struggles to a car hitting its limit.
A car running perfectly can fall apart after it hits 100k miles. Age 40 might be his 100k. I mean, at least that’s what my grandfather told me when his Oldsmobile stopped running.
Kendrick Perkins posted
A car running perfectly can fall apart after it hits 100k miles. Age 40 might be his 100k. I mean at least that what my grandfather told me when his Oldsmobile stopped running https://t.co/X9CDXne69P
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 3, 2024
LeBron James’ performance against the Timberwolves raised eyebrows. In 31 minutes, he managed just 10 points, his lowest tally of the season. While he contributed 8 rebounds and 4 assists, his 6 turnovers and -28 plus/minus put the rough night on full display. Shooting only 25% from the field (4-for-16) and missing all four of his three-point attempts did not help his case either.
This marked the fourth consecutive game where LeBron James has gone scoreless from beyond the arc, extending a dismal 0-19 streak from deep. Early in the season, James was shooting a career-high 43.5% from three-point range, but his recent cold stretch has left many questioning his consistency.
Kendrick Perkins predicts end of LeBron James’ career
Kendrick Perkins didn’t stop at just calling out LeBron James’ recent struggles. The former NBA center, now an ESPN analyst, recently also suggested that this season might be the final chapter of James’ legendary career. Following the Lakers’ recent loss to the OKC Thunder, Perkins suggested what has already been lingering on the tongue of many.
It’s looking like this just might be Bron’s last season.
Kendrick Perkins wrote on X
It’s looking like this just might be Bron’s last season.
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 30, 2024
In that game, James scored 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, with no success from beyond the arc. Perkins’ argument gains some weight when looking at James’ stats this season. The 39-year-old is averaging 22.3 points per game, the lowest since his rookie season in 2003-04. While he’s still contributing in other areas—rebounding and playmaking—his scoring efficiency has noticeably dipped.
Despite these struggles, LeBron James has still managed to showcase his brilliance at times. He dropped 39 points in a single game earlier in the season and scored 31 against the Orlando Magic on November 21, proving he can still dominate on any given night.
